Page 3 Advertisements Column 4

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 44, 22 September 1887, Page 3

IO THE ELECTORS or THB EAST COAST DISTRICT. GENTLEMEN, -Having announced that, owing to the retirement of Mr Locke, I am a Candidate for your suffrages at the forthcoming election, 1 now bog to place before you, shortly, my views on a few of the leading questions at present before the country. A very serious crisis in the country's history baa come about, Never before has such anarchy and confusion been apparent in the Government and in the House; never hue trade been so depressed : never has our credit as a country sunk so low. Our rulers seem quite incompetent to grapple with the situation, and the ship of State drifts helplessly along, her crew squabbling and wrangling among themselves, he being considered the smartest man who can say the hardest things of his opponent, not he who shows the most aptitude for navigation, or keeps the sharpest look-out for breakers ahead, It is of no use enquiring who or what party in particular is to blame ; we have all been to blame. It is every thinking man’s duty now to face the position*

The first and most pressing necessity is economy. The finances of the country must be so adjusted that our expenditure does not exceed our revenue. These annual and constantly increasing deficits must cease, and the gap must not be filled up by extra taxation, and least of all by further borrowing. The word Retrenchment, which is in everybody’s mouth just now, must be the order of the day. At the same time the pruning knife must be applied by a practised hand, guided by a skilful eye that can detect the next, and even the next again, season's fruit buds, and use his knife accordingly. The spasmodic attempts at retrenchment to which we have been treated lately, a cut here and a snip there, are worse than useless. I believe it quite possible by judicious retrenchmentsomewhat on the lines indicated by Mr Locke in his farewell address—combined with a strict watch over expenditure, to see that value is obtained for every pound spent, to bring our expenditure within our income without further taxation, and without affecting detrimentally either the public service or the education scheme.

Borrowing, in my opinion, should cease absolutely for lf at any time resumed, loans should only be got for specific and reproductive purposes, and no other; not, as heretofore, in large sums, to be appropriated after the money was obtained. To this practice I attribute much of the demoralisation of New Zealand politics.

The Native land laws are a disgrace to the country, The framers of the various acts (they are all ike) did not know at the time what they meant, and neither the Native Land Court judges nor the Supreme Court judges, and least of all the unfortunate and bewildered interested individuals of both races, have yet succeeded in finding out. It is surely a grim satire on Government, this placing men in office to make laws for us, paying them lor doing so, and then spending tens of thousands of pounds every year trying to find out what these laws mean. A strong Government, with the assistance of men who understand the position, should have no difficulty in passing such measures as would put a stop to this needless expense and uncertainty, would guard against the native owners being defrauded, or left paupers without sufficient land of good quality to keep them, while enabling them to sell if they wish the large areas of pastoral land which they themselves Will never use. Crown and native lands should contribute equally with other lands to County and Boad Board rates, and the natives, many of whom are wealthy, suould pay Property Tax. The land laws oi the colony should be simplified as mueh as possible so as to promote settlement. A district Waste Lands Board is urgently required here, composed oi practical men who would make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the nature and positions of the different blocks and put them up in such a way and with such conditions as would ensure settlement. The present Waste Lands Board in Auckland know nothing about our land. As to the cry of Freetrade and Protection, I consider the present tariff quite ample pro. teotion fox any industries now or likely to be successfully established in this colony fox many years. I consider that the Government’s endeavors, in a country like this should be in the direction ot fostering and protecting everything to increase the output of raw and food products, to assist the agriculturist, the eheeplarmer, the fruit grower, andjhe miner to produce as cheaply us possible their various commodities, for which we know there is an unlimited .market, at a profit if only they can be produced cheaply euough. We cannot attempt at the present stage of the country’s growth with any hope of,success to establish factories on a large scale, or for the supply of anything outside of our colonial wants. I am opposed to the present Ministers, as I consider they have altogether failed: they are a house divided against itself, and have not confidence of the country. In conclusion, Gentlemen, you will have noticed that the political platforms of the three candidates are very much alike. It lies with you, therefore, to consider carefully which of the three you believe, to be the most sincere in his professions, the most able and Willing to carry these out conscientiously, the one most to be trusted, and to give him your votes. ■*

I have the honor to be. Your obedient servant, ANDREW GRAHAM. Gisborne, August 4,1887. LOWE STREET PRODUCE STORES. ARRIVED PER OMAPERE, 12th Sept. q ZAZA SACKS of stout, heavy Feed Oats OU vJ go sacks Tartarian Seed Oats 20 tons Flour in sacks, best quality 10 tons do., in 1001 b and 501 b sacks, do. 50 sacks Bran 50 sacks Pollard 50 Backs Fowls’ Wheat 30 tons specially selected Seed and Table Potatoes. Orders now being booked for delivery from wharf, at reduced rates D. M. O R R , Lowe Street.